Report: Jenny McCarthy Likely Leaving “The View”

Uh-Oh: Time for another shakeup at The View and we hear Jenny McCarthy is the most likely casualty of war. McCarthy’s one year contract on the longrunning, femme-centered ABC talk show is up for renewal in July and the Watercooler is awash with whispers that the network will opt not to renew it.

An insider close to contract negotiations at the Alphabet Network told FOX411 that with The View’s co-creator, Barbara Walters, now basking in the joy of retirement, producers are using their free reign to make some tough casting decisions. According to FOX, show ratings have dipped slightly since McCarthy joined the panel, prompting series brass to take a harsh look at Jenny’s appeal with its audience.

“Jenny just didn’t appeal to the daytime audience market. They couldn’t relate to her. There are a lot of changes taking place now that Barbara [Walters] has left…Now that Barbara has retired, ABC has more autonomy to hire who they want for the show. But no matter what, Barbara will not let this show fail. She wants talent that will appeal to the daytime viewers.”

Jenny replaced comedienne Joy Behar as a co-host on The View when the show returned for its 17th season last September. The former Playboy Playmate is an autism research activist, whose appointment as high-profile television personality almost immediately set off alarm bells.

McCarthy’s young son Evan is autistic. After his diagnosis, the single mom embraced the controversial claim linking childhood vaccinations to autism — drawing the ire of immunization advocacy groups, like Every Child By Two. Amy Pisani is the executive director of the organization and penned a letter to View producers blasting the decision to hire Jenny:

“Her unfounded claims that vaccines cause autism have been one of the greatest impediments to public health in recent decades. These false assertions, in addition to her condemnation of public health officials and the medical community overall, has spread fear among young parents, which has lead to an increased number of children who have not received life-saving vaccines.”

Jenny denies she’s “anti-vaccaine,” but she isn’t shy about voicing her opinions on other hot button issues: The bespectacled blonde recently bumped heads with guest Terry Crews, finger-wagging the husband and father as the two went back and forth on the issue of mothers raising sons.